CVE-2008-2865 in PHP Site Lock
Summary
by MITRE
SQL injection vulnerability in index.php in Kalptaru Infotech PHP Site Lock 2.0 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands via the articleid parameter in a show_article action.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/28/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-2865 represents a critical SQL injection flaw within the PHP Site Lock 2.0 application developed by Kalptaru Infotech. This vulnerability exists in the index.php file and specifically affects the handling of user input through the articleid parameter during a show_article action. The flaw allows remote attackers to inject malicious SQL commands directly into the application's database query execution process, potentially compromising the entire backend database infrastructure. Such vulnerabilities fall under the category of CWE-89 SQL Injection as defined by the Common Weakness Enumeration catalog, which classifies this as a severe security weakness that enables attackers to manipulate database queries through unvalidated input.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker crafts a malicious payload containing SQL syntax within the articleid parameter value. When the application processes this parameter without proper input sanitization or parameterized query usage, the injected SQL commands become part of the actual database query execution. This allows attackers to perform unauthorized database operations including but not limited to data extraction, modification, deletion, or even privilege escalation within the database system. The vulnerability's remote nature means that attackers can exploit this flaw from any location without requiring physical access to the target system, making it particularly dangerous in web applications that are publicly accessible.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data compromise, as successful exploitation can lead to complete system compromise and unauthorized access to sensitive information. Attackers may extract confidential data such as user credentials, personal information, or business-critical data stored within the application's database. The vulnerability can also enable attackers to modify or delete database contents, potentially causing system downtime or data corruption. From an attacker's perspective, this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1071.004 Application Layer Protocol: DNS, where database manipulation techniques can be used to achieve persistence and privilege escalation within the compromised environment.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of input validation and parameterized query usage throughout the application codebase. The most effective approach involves implementing proper input sanitization routines that filter or escape special characters that could be used in SQL injection attacks. Additionally, developers should adopt prepared statements or parameterized queries to ensure that user input is treated as data rather than executable code. The application should also implement proper error handling that does not expose database-specific error messages to end users, as these can aid attackers in crafting more sophisticated attacks. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls and intrusion detection systems to monitor for suspicious SQL injection patterns. Regular security audits and code reviews should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other parts of the application, as this vulnerability demonstrates a fundamental lack of input validation practices that may exist elsewhere in the codebase.